(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thin film transistor array panel and a manufacturing method thereof.
(b) Description of Related Art
An active type of display device, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting display (OLED), includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, field generating electrodes and switching elements. The switching elements include three-terminal thin film transistors (TFTs) each having a gate, a source, and a drain. The TFT of each pixel selectively transmits data signals to a respective field-generating electrode in response to gate signals.
The display device further includes a plurality of signal lines for transmitting signals to the switching elements, which include gate lines for transmitting gate signals and data lines for transmitting data signals.
Each of the LCD and the OLED devices include a panel provided with the TFTs, the field-generating electrodes, and the signal lines, which are referred to as a TFT array panel.
The TFT array panel has a layered structure that includes conductive layers and insulating layers. The gate lines, the data lines, and the field-generating electrodes are formed of different conductive layers and are separated by the insulating layers.
The TFT array panel having the layered structure is manufactured by repeated lithography and etching steps. The lithography steps are time intensive and costly.
Therefore, a need exists for a TFT formed by a reduced the number of lithography steps.